​ When Solomon became king of Israel, God granted him a request: “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kgs. 3:5). Solomon responded by humbly describing himself as “a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in” (vs. 7). He then asked God for “an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (vs. 9). Solomon’s request was for wisdom that he might lead God’s people effectively. God bestowed upon him a degree of wisdom that made him the wisest man who had ever lived (vs. 12). And, because Solomon’s request was so selfless, God bestowed upon him great wealth (vs. 13).

​ The way we live our lives is often referred to by various terms that indicate a particular direction taken. We’ll speak of the course of a person’s life, or what path he’s taking in his life, or what road he’s traveling through life. Our Lord Himself used this very frame of reference: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14).

​ Often, we feel either inadequate or without sufficient resources to be able to do something that needs to be done. These lines of reasoning are constantly used by individuals and congregations in relation to serving God. In some cases we say we don’t have time to serve God as we would like. Sometimes we state that we just don’t have the ability to do some good work that needs to be done. In other cases we claim to not have sufficient resources to the get the job done. While these statements can hold some validity, we must not use them carelessly as excuses to simply let ourselves off the hook. If we open both our physical eyes and our eyes of faith, we will often find that we have more time and ability and resources than we first imagined.

We live in a high-tech culture. Information, along with the ability to communicate that information instantly, is power. The internet, email and text messaging are commonplace tools used by young children in grade school. Cell phones are so multi-dimensional as to be accurately described as also making phone calls. Our entertainment systems would have seemed like science fiction in the 1950’s or 60’s. Hundreds of television channels available 24 hours a day via cable and satellite dishes. Movies on demand, DVR, home theaters, game boxes, virtual reality…

​ I remember watching, some years ago, the execution by lethal injection of Timothy Mc Veigh. He was executed under the authority of the federal government for killing nearly 170 people in a terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City.

​ Many church leaders are dismayed that so many members have left their churches. They wonder how they can stem the tide and what they can ultimately do to bring them back. Studies indicate a growing percentage of people who claim belief in God yet seldom attend church services anywhere, a disturbing trend indeed.

​ A great many churches, and a great many people who make up those churches, have lost their perspective as to what worship is supposed to be about. The various Greek words translated “worship” in the New Testament convey the idea of making obeisance (respectful behavior), revering, holding in awe, giving honor, glorifying, acting piously toward God. All of these terms point to a serious, purposeful mindset on the part of the worshipper.

​ Have you been told that it does not really matter what you believe, religiously? Many members of denominational churches are being told by their ministers that, basically, as long as they believe in God and Jesus, that’s all that really matters. Everything else is open to individual understanding, interpretation and application.

​ Much of the denominational world is being turned upside down. Longtime members of various denominations have found themselves somewhat perplexed by the way their churches have been changing before their very eyes. It’s not just that old church buildings are being replaced by newer, more modern looking structures. The changes go to the very core of many of the beliefs and teachings of those churches.

​ If you're a parent, or under the age of thirty, you probably know the name “Fortnite.” For the rest of us, Fortnite is a free-to-play, online video game in which a hundred players are dropped onto a cartoonish, post-apocalyptic island and fight one another to the death in an ever-shrinking area (the playable area of the island continuously shrinks during the game, forcing the remaining players into a smaller and smaller area in which they must either kill or be killed).